deliberation

The act of deliberating, or of weighing and examining the reasons for and against a choice or measure; careful consideration; mature reflection.

The oftener the measure is brought under examination, the greater the diversity in the situations of those who are to examine it, the less must be the danger of those errors which flow from want of due deliberation, or of those missteps which proceed from the contagion of some common passion or interest.

Careful discussion and examination of the reasons for and against a measure.

the deliberations of a legislative body or council